Familiars are a fun, in-character perk that is purchasable in the Soul Shop! By purchasing either a small or a large familiar slot, your character can adopt a little friend.
Familiars can only be obtained in locations which correspond with their habitat range. That means a wolf must live in the corresponding territory in order to purchase that species as their familiar. See below for details on species with restricted ranges.
Characters cannot travel the island for the sole purpose of obtaining a particular species familiar. A wolf must live in the appropriate territory for a minimum of one season (3 months) before they can purchase a familiar that is unique to that territory.
However, once obtained, the familiar can travel with their bonded wolf to other locations, under the assumption that the wolf will be helping to provide food for a familiar that is no longer in its preferred habitat or hunting ground. For example, if a wolf in Skydas purchased a kestrel familiar and then relocated to Stonehaven, the kestrel would still come with them, even though they are not typically found in Stonehaven.
Familiars must be purchased from the shop using souls.
Your purchase note should specify whether you are purchasing a Small or Large Familiar, and it should state which animal you have chosen.
Only species listed in the shop under the Small Familiar and Large Familiar items are permitted as familiars.
Not all of the animals within Svajone can be found all over the island. Please make sure to note the details below on habitat limitations and range restrictions prior to purchasing a familiar.
Wolves who have not purchased a familiar should not be depicted as bonding or communicating with island animals as they would with a familiar. Any interactions with island animals should be temporary and, generally, either conflict-based (e.g. hunting) or at a distance (e.g. admiring the puffins).
No animals, including familiars, should be written as if they have the same complex sentience as wolves.
Characters may only possess a maximum of one familiar each. No, you may not have a chine of polecats.
Familiars will follow the direction of their owners and can be trained to complete simple tasks like coming over or staying put. However, communication is one-way only and limited to very simple cues (e.g. they understand being beckoned or shooed away) unless Dr. Doolittle has also been purchased.
Characters who have purchased Dr. Doolittle may communicate verbally with their familiars. However, please note the restrictions with this purchase. Familiars cannot communicate with or be understood by other wolves besides their owner. While a greater understanding and communication is achieved, familiars should still not be depicted as having the same level of complex intelligence as player characters or as a character of their own.
Living Accessories cannot be owned by a character who already has a familiar. Players may choose to replace a familiar with a Living Accessory, but they cannot have both at the same time.
Living Accessories purchased in the shop do not qualify as familiars. They may not be portrayed as such, and no familiar-related shop abilities may be applied to them. You can't use Visionary on a ladybug, sorry friends.
The Island Animal Guide contains general information on species ecology and behavior. Please note that there are additional animals within the guide, but not all animals are permitted as familiars. Only the familiars listed in the shop are available for purchase. Additional familiar species may occasionally be released as part of group events.
The following list explains which familiars can be found in which pack territories, and therefore can only be adopted by wolves within this territory.
Kol: Northern Goshawk, Hooded Crow, Short Eared Owl
Skydas: Kestrel, Short Eared Owl
Taika: Kestrel
Stonehaven: Short Eared Owl
Rat, common polecat, common weasel, great crested newt, adder, grass snake, pipistrelle bat, brown long eared bat, hedgehog little owl, mistle thrush, starling, goldfinch, long tailed tit, island fox, badger, common buzzard, eurasian sparrowhawk, barn owl, common raven, magpie
Within these territories, please still bear in mind the animal’s preferred habitat when you locate your familiar. For example, the adder prefers wetland, so a wolf should initially encounter it near water, rather than up a mountain. You can view a complete list of animals and their habitats here.
Short Eared Owl: The short eared owl nests on the ground and hunts over bog and wetlands. As such it can only be found in certain locations in each territory.
Kol: edge of Mirrorwood, close to the Mire
Skydas: The Fell
Stonehaven: Bleakfalls Barrow
Players can also choose to give their wolves a smaller bug friend in the form of Living Accessories! These are different to familiars. A character cannot have a living accessory and a familiar at the same time. You can find full details and restrictions in the Soul Shop.